April 4, 2022
Passover
Today, we are about to do something that completes the third panel of the story. Our Communion time is our Passover. . . .
Series: Communion Meditations
March 28, 2022
Not My Will
How do you respond when life presses down on you and your situation overwhelms you? How do you cope with hard news that takes your breath away? Where do you find the strength to take the next step?
March 21, 2022
Focus
By Michael C. Mack Focus is vital for success in many areas of our lives. One place we see this illustrated is in sports. A wide receiver in football runs the right route and then focuses on the ball into his hands, regardless of all the other things going on around him, even to the point of getting hit once he catches the ball. A basketball player focuses intently on the front of the rim as she prepares to shoot a free throw. She has trained herself to ignore the screaming of the opposing fans and those waving wacky signs
March 14, 2022
Welcoming Our Shame
By Stuart Powell By AD 32, the region of Judea had endured the shame of Roman oppression for a century. The Jews longed to see David’s kingdom restored but didn’t know how to make it happen. They dreamt of a kingdom where Jews ruled Jews and the Law of God brought perfect harmony in the Promised Land. The Jewish faithful opposed all Greek and Roman customs and mandates. They refused to offer sacrifices to the emperor, honor the false Roman deities, or willingly pay the tribute Caesar demanded. In response, the Romans ridiculed their faith and mercilessly killed any Jews
March 7, 2022
Different from the Herd
By Stuart Powell There is nothing strange about a herd of cattle in the farmland of Indiana. However, one herd contained a single member who stood out among the many. Amid the collection of four-legged bovine grazed a two-legged, feathered, web-footed, white goose. Nothing could hide the differences between the bird and the other grazing animals. Christians are called to be like that goose in the world. Just as a goose doesn’t belong in a herd of cattle, followers of Jesus don’t fit in with the ideas and priorities of worldly people. God expects us to intermingle with the rest
February 28, 2022
Clothed by God
By Stuart Powell God created humanity as male and female. He took care of their need for relationships by teaching them how to love him and each other. When they sinned and learned of their nakedness, God covered their shame, as explained in the Tree of Life Version: “Adonai Elohim made Adam and his wife tunics of skin and He clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). This is the first record of God clothing humanity. Initially, Adam and Eve knew nothing of evil, shame, or clothing. When they disobeyed, the fruit opened their eyes to evil, and evil exposed their shame. God
February 21, 2022
The Undiscovered Country
Exploration of the unknown was a common theme in Gene Roddenberry’s fictitious Star Trek stories. Roddenberry sought to avoid spiritual truths, yet there are many lessons for Christians embedded in those futuristic fables. . . .
February 14, 2022
A President’s Faith
Jesus fought for our freedom, as president Calvin Coolidge described, “not with the sword, but with the cross.”
February 7, 2022
Harmony
When believers gather to share in the loaf and the cup of the Lord’s Supper, we too come together in harmony . . .
January 31, 2022
Masks
With Jesus, we don’t need to wear a mask. Even if, out of habit, we try to wear one in his presence, he can see past the camouflage and deep into the recesses of each human soul.
January 24, 2022
His Face
Since God sent Jesus “when the set time had fully come” (Galatians 4:4), we must conclude it is God’s will that we worship the person of Jesus instead of the image of Jesus.
January 17, 2022
Draining the Cup
As we gather around the Lord’s table, consider two things about this “cup of death” Jesus drained: (1) the potency of the cup, and (2) the resolve of the one who drank from it.
January 10, 2022
Extremist for Love
At Calvary, Martin Luther King Jr. contended, "Jesus Christ . . . was an extremist for love, truth and goodness, and thereby rose above his environment."
January 3, 2022
The Look
As we eat and drink, remember that Jesus knows our failures as clearly as he knew Peter’s.
December 27, 2021
Our Hope
al, but they did not. However, it wasn’t just the days of Christ’s ministry for which they longed. Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses saw a better day in the distance when God’s rule will be restored. Their hope has now become our hope.
December 20, 2021
They Are New Every Morning
A brand-new year sounds so promising, doesn’t it? A clean slate, a fresh start. The idea of newness is so compelling, but Christians have a wonderful secret: We already are new . . .
December 13, 2021
Hear the Bells Again
mas Day 1863 was not joyful for Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. On that day, he was concerned his eldest son would not survive surgery after being shot while serving as a soldier in the Union Army. . . .
December 6, 2021
The Cross of Christmas
A little child leads us this Christmas season—straight to the cross.
November 29, 2021
Proclaim the Savior
Angels received the privilege of announcing the birth of Jesus, but God gave the church the task of announcing to the world Jesus' sacrificial death to pay for sin.
November 22, 2021
Crushing God
We often ponder the impact of our sinful choices on our lives and spirits, but do we consider the impact of our sin on God?
